The Hon. Chathura Galappaththi

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, thank you for the opportunity. Yesterday marked a black day in Sri Lankan history: for the first time, a Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman elected by the people was assassinated in broad daylight inside his official room. The Public Security Minister and the Deputy Defence Minister are here; despite their big talk, by yesterday the number of shootings had reached a century and the deaths a half‑century. With yesterday’s incident, the death toll is 57 and shootings 101. Yet they keep lecturing on national and public security—what have they achieved in this year?

¶ 02 Before coming to power, they made many promises on security. Today those promises are exposed as false. The immediate reason I speak is the statement made yesterday by the Public Security Minister, which we strongly condemn. He said public security has not been affected and directly branded the slain Chairman, Lasantha Wickramasekara, as a criminal. It is true there were six cases filed, but no court had convicted him. He was not a criminal; only a court can decide that. You are implementing jungle law, which you well understand.

¶ 03 Many here also have cases; anyone can have a case. Your own party’s General Secretary has faced criminal accusations and punishment—so do not throw words lightly. The Chairman was only a suspect in some cases, but the Minister portrayed him as a criminal. I decided to speak for that reason.

¶ 04 This Government has been in office for a year, with your party leader as Executive President and a two‑thirds‑type majority of 159 MPs. After nominations were given, six months passed before the local poll; another six have passed since. Despite various issues, he served as Chairman for three months. The Government did not file even a single case against him stemming from his tenure as Chairman. Past matters aside, do not brand him a criminal.

¶ 05 There must be justice for Lasantha. Midigama historically has bred notorious figures—“Harak Katha” Nadun Chinthaka, “Midigama Ruwan,” and others were peers. I met Lasantha in 2016 when villagers sought leadership against injustices by a factory that brought in dollars nationally but harmed locals—poisoning a tank, fish dying, emissions making people sick, and sacking local workers. He stood up for the village; people brought him to us to nominate. He was not handpicked; we listened to the people. Without a court verdict, calling him a criminal is wrong.

¶ 06 The gravest fault of this Government is that two months ago, as Chairman, he wrote to the IGP stating he faced a life threat and requested protection; no response was given. The former IGP was accused for a similar failure after Easter; the present IGP bears the same responsibility here. We will pursue legal action.

¶ 07 You talk about drugs in schools, yet 323 containers were released without inspection. What entered the country? Weapons? Drugs? The Defence and Public Security Ministers are here—answer. Whenever some drugs or weapons are found somewhere, you run trailers and news clips. But you have failed on the 323 containers. In Midigama, two containers were found with ice; then you tried to blame a Pohottuwa MP. In Weligama, you claimed an ice factory; what was found was a newly‑identified drug in Sri Lanka. A foreigner and two locals were arrested—how did they get police bail immediately? If there was a drug factory, how were they bailed out the same day?

¶ 08 Lastly, during the debate on the Penal Code amendments related to children, Minister Bimal Ratnayake told our Members to watch the film “Tharai Samiyin Paar.” He should also watch “Sinaare Samiyin Paar.” I suggest Government Members watch the Tamil film “Madras” (Madarasi). It shows five containers of weapons brought into Tamil Nadu to control a peaceful region; first they do a test by sending weapons to a hundred places to create a wave of killings, then take control. One wonders if something similar is happening here. Please watch and reflect. Thank you.